master distiller tom`s gin sense petraske the rule of sasha

N. 1 | OCTOBER 2015
SUPPLEMENT OF BARTALES
FACE TO FACE
BAR STORY/1
BAR STORY/2
COCKTAIL STORY
LIQUID STORY
HOW TO MIX
MASTER DISTILLER
TOM'S GIN SENSE
PETRASKE
THE RULE OF SASHA
HERBS SPIRITS
FROM ARQUEBUSE TO ALPESTRE
TEXAS GUINAN
THE QUEEN OF THE NIGHT
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EDITORIAL by Melania Guida
BAR
TALES
STEP BY STEP
W
hen Bartales was born two years ago, in July 2013, an English edition
was largely inconceivable. The fact that a magazine on the bustling
world of bartending had been published seemed a miracle in itself, let
alone in other languages. And yet, just over two years later, here it is;
hard to believe, yet true. Of course this version is shorter than the original, but we
must take one step at a time.
It presents a selection of those stories that we feel are the best, hence the “Best
of Bartales”. And eventhough it is in a shortened form, we believe it
still encapsulates the spirit of the original, which can be summarised
into three essential themes: eclecticism, points of interest and independence. It exists alongside the Italian Bartales, a magazine that
provides direction, a compass if you will, with the aim of guiding the
way through the microcosm of mixed drinks, a world that undergoes
constant and rapid change.
The magazine rests on the firm foundations of serious and rigorous
professionalism, like that of Sasha Petraske for example. We dedicate
this first issue of our international edition to the guru of the legendary
Milk&Honey, who has been taken from us to soon. He who contibuted so significantly to the rebirth of the cocktail culture, he who changed our way
of drinking and of spending time in bars. We have no doubt that the path he forged
and his shining success will continue to inspire the most talented bartenders the
world over. In the meantime, enjoy the read.
N. 1 | OCTOBER 2015
executive editor
digital edition by
Melania Guida
([email protected])
Dinamica Digitale srl
([email protected])
staff editor
Fabio Bacchi
([email protected])
art director
Cinzia Marotta
([email protected])
contributors
Gianmaria Bertazzoli, Giovanni Ceccarelli, Dario
D'Avino, Vincenzo Errico e Alessandro Palanca
Registrazione. n. 35 del 8/7/2013 Tribunale di Napoli
www.bartales.it
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BARTALES - Tutti i diritti sono riservati. Nessuna
parte di questa pubblicazione può essere riprodotta.
Ogni violazione sarà perseguita a norma di legge.
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translation by
LMP International - Lonato (BS) Italy
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October 2015
5
face to face
MASTER DISTILLER
TOM’S GIN SENSE
With the latest magic formula
that is: very Italian
BY MELANIA GUIDA
D
espite a delayed flight and having to negotiate Roman traffic in
peak hour, Tom Nichol cleaves
sublimely through the hall of the
Ponte Milvio hotel. He’s unflustered, as
can be expected from a Scot, as soothing
as the spirit which he has mastered.
I start off with the news of his retirement from the “fort” of Cameron Bridge,
headquarters of Tanqueray, and he stops
me with a partial denial: «I’m not retiring
at all. I will no longer be the master distiller, but I will still have lots of work to do,
no doubt as an Ambassador around the
world». Touché. I try to make a comeback
by asking him about the three things he
does in his spare time (assuming he has
6
October 2015
any) and finally he smiles: «Fishing, riding
my motorbike and mountain climbing».
Not bad for a gentleman, who is officially on pension since 3 July («I wanted
my first day of retirement to fall on Independence Day»), and recently received a
Lifetime Achievement Reward from the
Gin Guild (he is the second professional
in the sector to receive the accolade,
presented to him by the Grand Rectifier
of The Gin Guild, Christopher Hayman)
and who for 42 long years distilled and
mixed botanicals. Not always Gin, truth
be told. He started off in the spirit industry with Whiskey, but when the distillery
moved from London to Scotland, the
changeover to Gin (which he confesses
he rather enjoys) was mandatory.
What will change in his life? «I’ll do
everything in a more relaxed way. Above
all, I won’t drive those 70 miles in the
car to go to work. I may travel the world
far and wide, but I don’t want to see that
car again». If he had to take stock of it
all? «I’ve had the most fantastic career I
could have imagined and the pleasure of
being the master distiller at Tanqueray».
His most vivid memory? «The first time I
distilled Tanqueray Ten and its surprising
aroma of camomile. I thought to myself,
almost in tears, that I was truly so fortunate to have created that».
With Tanqueray, what is commonly
referred to as the “Gin Craze” official-
ly started. Is this phenomenon set to
last? «I’m sure that it is a trend that will
still continue for a
long time. The birth
«I’m going to relax.
of new distilleries
is an indication that I’ll travel the world,
the craze will have a
ride my motorbike
long life». Speaking
in the mountains
of trends, Vintage
is very popular and
but I don’t want
Diageo is providing
to set foot
historic recipes (“Old
Tom” and “Malacca
in another car»
Gin”) to the global
bartending community. What do you think of this trend? Nichol
lowers his eyes and with a swift move
October 2015
7
MASTER
DISTILLER
TOM NICHOL
AT WORK IN
CERTAIN
PHASES OF
PRODUCTION.
8
takes a crumpled piece of paper out of
his pocket. On it I barely make out (since
he quickly obscures my view) the percentages of the secret recipe, written in a
column in pencil. «This is a new release,
Tanqueray Bloomsbury», he reveals. It’s a
re-elaboration of an old formula created
by Waugh Tanqueray, Charles’ son. With
a bottle bearing the signature of Charles
Waugh Tanqueray, next to the brand with
his initials.
A recipe that dates back to 1880 when
the distillery was located in Bloomsbury,
London. «It’s a Gin that is inspired by Italy
– winks Tom – made from two junipers:
one from Tuscany and the other from Trieste». Expertly mixed with notes of coriander, angelica, savory and cassia bark.
«I wanted to make something that was
October 2015
completely different to our other limited
editions, and I think we have achieved
that with this Gin». It’s worth betting on it.
Melania Guida
6-12-2011
14:36
Pagina 1
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bar story/1
TEXAS GUINAN
THE QUEEN OF THE NIGHT
Beautiful, shrewd and shameless
She was the bad girl of the Twenties
BY ALESSANDRO PALANCA
M
ary Louise Cecilia Guinan,
aka Texas Guinan, was synonymous with fun, enjoyment
and party life during the Prohibition. She was the queen of the night
clubs and the speakeasies of the time,
beautiful, unattainable, desired and con-
10
October 2015
templated by the frequenters of the night
club scene. Her shows were always full,
pushing the boundaries of what was considered common decency at the time,
sometimes censored by the authorities of
France and England, but hugely successful
and always sold out.
LEGENDARY
VARIOUS
IMAGES OF THE
GREAT TEXAS
GUINAN.
A dancer, singer, showgirl, silent movie
and vaudeville actress, this woman also
piqued the interest of singer and actress
Madonna, who in 2004 was due to star
in a film, "Hello Suckers", portraying the
story of Texas Guinan before the project
was shelved. Oscar winner, Whoopy Gold-
berg, chose the name Guinan when she
was cast as the barlady of Ten Forward
Lounge, the bar of the spaceship in the
Star Trek movie franchise.
The story of this show queen, who
eventually decided to become the first
great entrepreneur of the bar industry, is
October 2015
11
a mixture of myth and truth, stemming
from the very mouth of one who loved to
fantasize about her youth, captivating her
audience while talking about herself. An
example is when she said that she performed in Europe for the troops in France
during the First World War and received
a medal for it.
Texas was born in Waco, Texas, on
12 January 1884 and began her artistic
career at a very young age within small
companies performing rodeo shows. She
arrived in New York in 1905. She married 3 times and explained that marriages
12
October 2015
came to an end because one always sees
the same man in the house. She acted in
famous musicals such as Miss Bob White,
The Gay Musician, The Passing Show and
in many silent films, portraying the role of
a cowgirl for the first time. In real life, she
often mirrored the roles she portrayed in
her films, a blonde and aggressive western-style heroine, who was enterprising
and rebellious, adventurous and reckless
to the point of rejecting the most dangerous stunt scenes. Nevertheless, her life
was not always easy. His memoirs are
collected in a book, Texas Guinan Queen
of Night Clubs, written by Louise Berliner.
One night in 1922 she went to a party
at the Beaux Arts Café, haunt of celebrities and prominent New Yorkers. The party
was boring and Texas was asked to sing.
Her success convinced the owner, Emile
Gervasini, to hire her as the mistress of
ceremonies for his café. She was not
there for long because she was invited
to take her show to the King Cole Room at
the Knickerbocker Hotel at the invitation
of Joe Pani. This was a place where you
went to see and be seen. The King Cole
Room would change Texas’ life forever.
As fate would have it, Texas met Larry
Fay there, well-known bootlegger, gambler,
gang leader and owner of several speakeasies including the famous "El Fay Club".
Larry was a very convincing man, and the
young lady from Texas found herself working with him as a business partner. Texas became a kind of hostess, welcoming
the guests, greeting them with a line that
would become famous, "Hello Sucker!"
and never failed to sit on a stool in the
middle of the room when she decided to
sing. Customers who she did not yet know
would be affectionately called Fred. She
entertained customers by talking amicably
with them, telling stories of her life and
did not lack confidence in her fondness for
wearing red underwear, heels with rhinestones and anything that would fascinate
her guests. Indeed, the wily Texas told
her guests what she wanted. Those who
had money to burn went to "El Fay" for
the blonde Texan. In 10 months, Larry Fay
and Texas Guinan earned the equivalent
of $7 million today. Pursued by reporters
seeking exclusive gossip, she became the
queen of New York nights, the one that
created an atmosphere to which everyone
October 2015
13
came flocking. The police shut down "El
Fay Club", but, as often happened in those
days, it was immediately re-opened as the
"Del Fay" in Miami.
Eventually, Texas moved on from Larry
Fay. She went out on her own and in quick
succession opened several clubs: the
"300 Club", the "Texas Guinan Saloon",
the "Club Intime" and the "Salon Royale".
The “300 Club” was the most successful.
It was located at 151
54th Street in New
Texas Guinan
York and was the hot
spot for the stars of
was the queen
the time: Gloria Swanof New York
son, the Vanderbilts,
nights, chased
George Gershwin, Rudolph Valentino were
by reporters
customers who were
looking for
hosted by the blonde
cowgirl as only she
a story
knew how. Texas demanded that her bars
offered everything and it would seem that
Captain Bill McCoy was her preferred supplier.
The singer was a clever public relations
officer, but also shrewd in business and
ensured that nothing could be traced back
14
October 2015
to her as the owner since federal laws
were very strict. In the height of the dry
age, the feds lost no time in dealing with
Texas and charged her several times as
the owner of illegal speakeasies. Speakeasies were declared illegal only if alcohol
was discovered there. But Texas always
managed to prove that she was not the
owner and to federal agents asking her
about her involvement, she simply replied
that she was a gift of nature for the club’s
patrons. When the feds stormed one of
her clubs and arrested her, Texas, being
a real character in any situation, asked
the orchestra to play The Prisoner's Song
while they took her away. And so it happened that on 4 July 1926, five detectives
and two female police officers came to
the 300 Club undercover and elegantly
dressed and mingled with the other 400
guests. That night they caught a minor of
17 years of age who was drinking alcohol,
some senators and the former president
of Cuba. When taken to prison along with
other patrons, Texas did not fail to put
on a show even at the police station by
singing all night long.
Contrary to popular belief, it was in
1928 that a book by George Buzza was
published. It was called Bottoms Up and
came in the form of a shaker, containing
52 drink recipes of the time. The originality of Bottoms Up was in the fact that
on every page celebrities of the time appeared, each with a recommended recipe and a personal nostalgic memory in
which readers were reminded of one of
the famous bars that fell victim to the
Volstead Act. Texas Guinan featured of
course, with her beloved Whisky Cobbler,
a nostalgic memory of The Palace. Among
the other 51 stars sharing their favourite recipes were George Gershwin, Fanny
Brice and Ted Lewis. All this happened
in a few years and in 1927 the limelight
of Broadway attracted Texas Guinan, this
time as a producer of theatrical shows.
It was the year of Padlock's, which was
followed by Queen of the Night Clubs in
1929 and Broadway Thru a Keyhole.
The impending economic crisis became
a reality on 24 October 1929, and one by
one her bars shut down. In 1931 her company was banned from performing in Paris
and she put on a show called Too Hot
for Paris. There began a long tour during
which she became seriously ill with an
acute form of ulcerative colitis and died. It
seems that, despite being a good drinker,
it was a glass of contaminated water that
caused her illness. She died on 5 November 1933 in Vancouver, exactly one month
before the Prohibition was abolished. She
was only 49 years of age, and her funeral
was attended by 12,000 people and the
press.
Today Guinan is part of the history of
New York, Hollywood has placed a star
with her name on the famous Walk of
Fame and the world of bartending remembers her as an icon of the Prohibition.
Alessandro Palanca
October 2015
15
bar story/2
PETRASKE
THE RULE OF SASHA
Minimalistic style and attention
to detail at Milk & Honey:
The speakeasy before its time
BY DARIO D'AVINO AND VINCENZO ERRICO
N
ew York City, 1990s. In an unknown and smoky coffee shop,
a young, 17-year-old barman
makes his first moves behind
the bar counter. Shy and introverted, extremely reserved, to the point that his
background is not known with certainty,
16
October 2015
but equally generous and forthcoming,
multi-faceted and methodical, with a
great desire to practice his skills and
see his ideas come to life. It was in this
coffee shop that the youngster developed
the passion and drive that would take
him to opening one of the most iconic
SPEAKEASY
ABOVE AND
LEFT MILK &
HONEY’S
NAMELESS
ENTRANCE
THROUGH THE
ROLLER
SHUTTER
DOOR.
PREVIOUS PAGE
SASHA
PETRASKE.
bars in New York and the world. A bar
that would open new frontiers and make
history: Milk & Honey. The name of its
founder was to become one of the most
well-known within the new global cocktail craze: Sasha Petraske. He who once
said: «bartenders are not artists, they
are artisans».
When Sasha Petraske opened Milk
& Honey in first few years of the new
millennium, the intention was to start a
coffee shop. But finances were too tight
for the machinery and equipment that
a coffee shop demanded. This was the
turning point for Sasha Petraske; the lack
of capital led him to turn to an option that
for him was a matter of affordability: a
cocktail bar. His was a start like many
others, but from the moment that Sasha
took ownership of the premises that was
to become Milk & Honey on the Lower
East Side on the night of 31 December
1999, a significant series of decisions,
mixed with intuition and real strokes of
genius gave life to that which, for many,
would represent the pinnacle of modern
October 2015
17
speakeasies.
Thanks to this fitting choice, Sasha
forced his way into the New York mixing scene, profoundly revolutionising it.
The first, and most obvious connotation
that Sasha wanted to give Milk & Honey,
was the total absence of signage or any
other type of branding from the outside.
Two inconspicuous roller shutter doors
on either side of a small door, in a quiet
neighbourhood, an intercom and a street
number. This poky scene was the first
impression customers received. In reality, the choice was initially dictated by
a fear of having to deal with the neighbours due to the disturbance that could
result for the continuous comings and
goings of customers. This together with
the advantage of having to deal with less
bureaucracy led Sasha Petraske to keep
Milk & Honey as concealed as possible.
Apart from being difficult to find, one
18
October 2015
could gain entry only by making a reservation over the phone. Staff would answer the phone, check every single reservation each and every night and manage
a waiting list for those who were unable
to find a free spot. In the meantime, Sasha was careful to change the telephone
number whenever he felt that Milk & Honey was gaining too much exposure among
the general public. Once you were able
to cross the threshold of the premises,
you were carried away into a 1920s atmosphere, a rather dark space that was
illuminated here and there by candles,
a careful selection of music playing with
the soft, classic and intriguing jazz tones
of Ella Fitzgerald, Lester Young, Cannonball Adderley and Dizzy Gillespie. Great
attention was placed on the form and
material of the furnishings, with ample
use of dark wood and red bricks.
For Sasha, the 1920s were not just
a way of doing business. He was deeply
fascinated by the era. In his everyday
life he would wear the clothing of the
time: loose casual trousers, braces,
long-sleeved shirts with four pockets
and sleeve suspenders. And of course
for the staff of Milk & Honey this was no
exception. Extreme care had to be placed
in the choice of clothing, and it had to
be refined, even if Sasha preferred allowing his staff to choose their individual
garments, thereby stimulating in them
the desire to be refined and place great
attention in their choice.
This was a specific trait of Sasha’s.
From the very beginning he established
a sincere, loyal and direct relationship
with his staff: he wanted freedom and
trust and was willing to provide it. There
was no hierarchy, no importance was
given to length of service, each employee was responsible for his or her role
and was expected to act according to
their conscience in the best interest of
the business and their colleagues. Each
staff member had a set of keys to Milk
& Honey and knew the combination to
the safe. Work shifts were chosen by
the staff themselves, and all were encouraged to enjoy a moderate amount
of alcohol, obviously never excessive, in
order to add to the relaxed and positive
atmosphere. When it came to serving
the customer, staff were expected to be
professional but at the same time they
had to feel good and have fun, something
that actually took place.
Sasha Petraske was not someone who
would stop at appearances. From the
very beginning he chose to set a series
of “House Rules”. Lingering outside Milk
& Honey was not allowed and noise was
to be avoided. Inside, men were made to
take their hats off, avoid talking to the
ladies without their explicit consent, and
avoid talking about violent or distasteful
topics. Using a loud tone of voice was
prohibited and everyone, even if famous
or important, had to keep to these rules
when booking. You were also responsible
for the behaviour of the people who came
with you. The “House
Rules” helped to ad«Hidden, and
dress needs of a
practical nature, tied
with no signage,
to noise levels and
Milk & Honey was
the relationship with
kept as concealed
the neighbourhood,
but also highlighted
as possible,
the care that Sasha
according to
took to providing
his patrons with a
Speakeasy rules»
gentlemanly atmosphere.
Milk & Honey therefore had all the hallmarks of a great success, but Sasha, still
feeling dissatisfied, concentrated all his
efforts on the offering. Through a series
of brave commercial choices, he ended
up setting extremely high standards in
the early 2000s. Firstly, he never created a menu; he preferred having a staff
compliment made up only of bartenders
who could guide his patrons in ordering
October 2015
19
MILK & HONEY’S RECIPES
THE PENICILLIN by Sam Ross
INGREDIENTS
- 1 3/4 oz blend of Scotch Whisky
- 3/4 oz lemon juice
- 3/8 oz fresh ginger syrup
- 3/8 oz honey syrup
- 1/4 oz Islay Single Malt Whisky float
METHOD
Shake and strain. Glass: Highball glass. Garnish: ginger &
lemon peel
SUGAR PLUM by Joseph Schwartz
INGREDIENTS
- 2 oz Gin
- 1 oz grapefruit juice
- 1/2 oz pomegranate molasses
METHOD
Shake and strain. Glass: cocktail glass. Garnish: none
SILVER LINING by Joseph Schwartz
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey
- 3/4 oz lemon juice
- 3/4 oz Licor 43
- Egg white
- Top soda water
METHOD
Shake and strain. Glass: Collins. Garnish: none
THE GREENPOINT by Michael McIlroy
INGREDIENTS
- 2 oz Rye Whiskey
- ½ oz Punt e Mes
- ½ oz Yellow Chartreuse
- dash Angostura bitter
- dash orange bitters
METHOD
Shake and strain. Glass: cocktail glass. Garnish: none
THE RED HOOK by Vincenzo Errico
INGREDIENTS
- 2 oz Rye Whiskey
- 1/2 oz Punt & Mes
- 1/2 oz Maraschino
METHOD
Stir and strain. Glass: cocktail glass. Garnish: none
20
October 2015
their drink, helping and advising them
when asked to do so. It was a winning
move; the guests immediately started
appreciating the competent service they
received.
Sasha was able to collaborate with
some of the best bartenders around,
creating a truly exceptional staff compliment. Among Milk & Honey’s collaborators were Sam Ross, Joseph Schwartz,
Vincenzo Errico, Michael McIlroy, Toby
Maloney. A shaker “dream team”. This
truly talented staff immediately added
significant value to Milk & Honey’s offering. In the 13 years that the Lower East
Side branch was open, drinks created
there launched Milk & Honey’s popularity
across the world, where they were appreciated and recognised as true modern
classics.
Allowing the bartenders to serve the
tables, made it easier to show and explain to customers the choice between
fresh fruit, fruit juice or freshly squeezed
juice, according to seasonal availability
and specific drinks were served only in
certain times of the year.
Sam Ross made the headlines in 2005
with The Penicillin Drink (see alongside).
Italian Vincenzo Errico first, followed by
Michael McIlroy later, worked respectively
on the Red Hook and Green Point drinks
between 2003 and 2005, that were inspired by districts in New York. These
drinks brought them great success and
numerous acknowledgments.
Ice was another element that received
particular attention. In a pioneering
move, only clear ice blocks were used,
chipped by hand in order to meet the
exact needs of the bar and the size of
Milk & Honey’s glasses. Great attention
was placed on all details: from the steel
ATTABOY BAR
straws that were made by hand to the
candle placed on the serving tray that
would highlight the colours of the drink
when it was being brought to the customer, to the more than 70 shaker sets
behind the bartenders. Everything was
about achieving perfection.
The job description that Sasha’s bartenders received was a manual second
to none: there were even instructions in
that black notebook as to where certain
drinks should be placed on the tray, the
perishability of certain drinks according
to Sasha, where, for example, the Mai Tai
was the drink that perished the fastest,
and the temperature of the water when
washing the tins.
The pursuit of perfection and painstaking attention to detail have always distinguished Sasha Petraske. One thing was
October 2015
TWO IMAGES
OF THE BAR
THAT TOOK THE
PLACE OF MILK
& HONEY.
21
SAM ROSS
FROM A
BARTENDER AT
MILK & HONEY
TO COMANAGER OF
ATTABOY BAR
WITH MICHAEL
MCILROY.
22
very clear to him when he opened Milk &
Honey: he did not want to intellectualise
cocktails. He wanted to work from a solid
foundation and with tangible elements;
he firmly believed in the professionalism
of a bartender but avoided crossing that
line that separates professionalism and
perfection from vainglory at all costs. And
it is perhaps this that made Milk & Honey
a leading example until the very last day
that the Lower East Side premises was
open.
In 2013, the historic Lower East Side
premises officially closed with the name
Milk & Honey, and today houses Attaboy,
which is managed by two old acquaintances, Sam Ross and Michael McIlroy.
Attaboy is a continuation of that idea
which was started on the night of New
Year’s Eve at the end of the millennium.
After moving from the Lower East Side,
Milk & Honey New York found its home in
October 2015
the Flatiron District. Life there was not
easy however and Sasha was forced to
announce another relocation, the details
of which are currently unknown.
Sasha, as is typical of a personality
like his, is constantly on the move.
After having opened a Milk & Honey in
London in 2002 on three floors, with an
area reserved solely to members, and
with the highest standards of quality
and service, he has been involved in a
number of other ventures, such as Little
Branch, a more accessible bar but displaying the same spirit as always, The
Varnish, a fully-fledged speakeasy, and
with mixed success, many other collaborations and openings that day in and
day out keep him engaged in his idea
and constant search for perfection and
attention to detail. Because perfection
is in details.
Dario D'Avino and Vincenzo Errico
DRINK RESPONSIBLY
cocktail story
24
CAIPIRINHA
October 2015
LIME & CACHAÇA
From the torrid Sertão, a dream
combination. Thanks to the essential oils
BY GIANMARIA BERTAZZOLI
O
nly a spirit with a surly personality could have done it, only
the strength of popular tradition
would have tried it, only those
who give up their riches nurture within
them the strength of a giant. A giant that
thanks to its charm will travel the world,
leaving an indelible sign, emotion and experience. This is Cachaça, nothing more,
nothing less.
The contrast between rural life and
the desire to conquer beaches and faraway sunsets abroad. The Caribbean mix
that has taken shape over the last 500
years follows a very simple outline, where
the sharp notes of the aguardiente were
smoothed by a mixture of lemon juice
and sugar (molasses, honey or virgin sugarcane juice). A mixtures that honours
this spirit which, although of poor quality
and flawed until the end of the 19th century, had a personality that was easily
tamed. Not because it lacked strength
but because of a different social condition, which make Rum different. But not
in Brazil; in Brazil it is not like this.
The poverty of the population was
(and still is) widespread in the rural regions and does not allow for “wastage”
of a resource that is fundamental to the
October 2015
25
BRAZIL
BOTTLES AND
LABELS OF
CACHAÇA.
ABOVE, A
PHOTO OF THE
SERTÃO IN THE
NORTH EAST.
ON THE RIGHT,
CANE SUGAR.
ON THE NEXT
PAGE, A VIEW
OF
COPACABANA
BEACH.
26
economy, that is sugar cane. The sugar
extracted from the sugar cane is exported
around the globe, and these plants are
exploited until the last grain is extracted. The leftovers are molasses that is
completely exhausted, leftovers that are
left to the rural people. It is called caipira and will become Cachaça. Technically,
October 2015
it’s Rum, but don’t call it Rum, whatever
you do.
Cachaça has earned its identity, Caipirinha is its ambassador. And so at the
beginning of the last century, while the
West exported its production technology
to the Amazon, Caipirinha left the Brazilian favelas, the deep Amazon and the
torrid and desolated Sertão, to arrive on
the beaches of Ipanema, Fortaleza and
Copacabana. Here it became known and
enjoyed, and made its way around the
world thanks to travellers, who for plea-
sure or interest, would leave taking with
them their most pleasant memories of
Brazil.
In Brazil the traditional mix does not
follow the Caribbean influence because
the clash between lime juice and a spirit is certainly not one based on equal
terms. A spirit like Cachaça is too bold
to combine with citrus juice, giving a balanced flavour. Cachaça needs more. The
solution, as is often the case, is found
in nature, and so readily available that it
has led to Brazil becoming one of the major exporting countries in the world. Lime
hides the solution; or rather, it does not
hide it, it surrounds it. Caipirinha is not
Cachaça, lime and sugar. No, not at all.
Caipirinha is Cachaça, lime essential oils,
sugar and lime juice. The essential oils
are the real link, the bridge that connects
the lime juice to the spirit. The essential
oils are Caipirinha, but not only, they are
the edge of Brazilian mixing.
The lime must necessarily be a product
of Brazil (Tahiti or Persian), but this is not
enough. Not all limes can turn into Caipirinha. The lime is chosen according to its
peel and then its consistency. The peel
must be shiny and rich with essential oils.
You must touch the lime, massage it and
get to know it with confidence. It’s important to know if it is the right one and work
with it without being too rough: you need
October 2015
27
to make it human. If we respect the lime,
it will respect the Caipirinha. Respect of
the lime occurs through a ritual that is
technically defined and precise. One must
cut the ends until the white part (albedo
or pith) is completely
removed, which has
Lime must be
a bitter flavour that
is almost rancid and
respected. In
that would leave a
this way, only
terrible after taste
by following a
for hours if chewed.
The fruit is then cut
rigorous ritual
in half, lengthways,
will Caipirinha
and with a v-cut,
the central column
be honoured
is removed for two
reasons. The first
reason is that mentioned previously, of
removing the white part of the fruit, the
second is to open on one side all the
vesicles that contain the juice. These vesicles are found within the segments of the
endocarp, that are connected on one side
by the albedo under the peel, on the other
28
October 2015
by the central column that is removed.
By opening the vesicles on one side, the
juice will come out with a gentle squeeze,
since they don’t need to “explode”, but
are rather just emptied. This step is very
important because applying too much
pressure with a lime muddler would place
too much stress on the fruit that then
releases an unpleasant taste, since the
albedo (which acts as a sponge) would
give off contaminated juice. The half lime
is then cut again into 4 parts, and it is
pressed, nowadays adding a sweetener
such as cane sugar, or honey before the
1900s. In fact, at the time, sugar was
sold as a primary resource and was not
used in any other way.
The drink is prepared by dissolving the
sugar in the lime juice, without exerting
too much force. This is a fundamental
step because, as we know, sugar does
not dissolve in alcoholic solutions. At this
point, the Cachaça and ice is added. It’s
here that the essential oils dissolve in
the alcohol, or the Cachaça, taming it and
giving it intense and overpowering aromatic hints. Our intention here is not to
explain how Caipirinha is born and how to
prepare it, but to understand how the essential oils have redeemed a population,
or in other words, the concept of mixing
south of the Caribbean. In this sense,
the interpretation of the essential oils is
a resource of a country that has turned
its simple traditions into a vast richness
that has been given as a gift to the rest
of the world.
We are not going to analyse the shaking, the amount of ice, the preparation
technique because that is not our aim
here.
Caipirinha must be understood and
then lived out. There is no recipe, Caipirinha is an attitude, a way of life, but most
of all, a way of smiling at life. Caipirinha is
poetry, emotion and feelings. If we don’t
let Caipirinha take us places, we will only
ever be good at the execution, nothing
more. That is Caipirinha.
Gianmaria Bertazzoli
October 2015
29
liquid story
HERBS SPIRITS
FROM ARQUEBUSE
TO ALPESTRE
Brother Emmanuel’s original recipe created
an aromatic and healing balsam that would
strike like the shot of an arquebus
BY FABIO BACCHI
F
or centuries certain religious orders
have produced herbal liqueurs and
spirits that have become specialties across the globe and that are
recognised in bars around the world.
30
October 2015
Some of the more well-known come to
mind, such as Chartreuse, which was
produced by the Carthusian monks in
the factory within the Voiron Certosa in
France, or Bénédictine, which first recipe
from 1510, is probably attributed to the
Venetian religious Bernardo Vincelli, and
produced by the Benedictine abbey of Fécamp, in Normandy.
France can no doubt be considered the
homeland of herbal liqueurs. Custodians
of most of the ancient and modern knowledge in all fields, the religious, who were
experts in the therapeutic properties of
herbs, would practice their knowledge in
order to educate, influence and gain acceptance from civil society.
It was in 1814, when a student from
the major seminary of Saint-Irénée in Lyon, Jean-Claude Courville, came up with
the idea of founding a new religious order,
without actually ever achieving it. The project became a reality on 23 July 1816, in
the sanctuary of Notre-Dame de Fourvière,
where twelve newly-ordained priests, including Marcellin Champagnat, promised
to found a new religious family that would
become known as the Marist Brothers,
not to be confused with the order of Marianists.
In 1857, at the general headquarters
of the Hermitage in Saint-Chamond, on
the river Gier near Lyon, Brother Emmanuel developed the basic composition of
a herbal spirit. Being the expert in herbs
that he was, Brother Emmanuel selected 34 aromatic, balsamic and medicinal
herbs, which he combined in an elaborate
recipe in order to extract the best beneficial properties. He made several attempts
to achieve a concentration of flavours and
aromas that satisfied him, making use of
the technology and knowledge of the time,
and decided to study the evolution of the
product in depth by focusing on aging in
barrels.
He studied the changes that took place
in the spirit coming into contact with
wood of differing ages and origins and
October 2015
31
was satisfied when he at last tasted an
elixir that was left to age in oak barrels
for four years. The concentration and evolution of the liquid gave rise to a product
that for many years would be commonly
used. Later though it almost disappeared,
32
October 2015
when it was not locally consumed only in
certain areas. It eventually received new
life thanks to the push from bartending
which was on the lookout for ancient flavours that could provide new emotions:
Alpestre. Brother Emmanuel’s herbal spirit
would only later take on this name since
the liqueur was registered as Eau de Arquebuse in 1868.
The history of the spirit was recorded by Brother Martino Tilia, a member
of the congregation of Marist Brothers,
who wrote: “One of our Brothers, Emmanuel, an expert in the healing properties of herbs, developed a spirit that was
intended to treat the sick brethren, in a
clever formulation bringing together the
beneficial properties of 34 herbs, and thus
defining a secret recipe of a pleasant and
fragrant liqueur.”
Its name derived from its effectiveness
in treating arquebus wounds, an ancient
long firearm that can be considered the
first portable weapon that would guaran-
tee good marksmanship. Another version
of the name refers to the strong sensation experienced after tasting a product
containing a high alcohol content and no
sugar, just like the shot of an arquebus.
The arquebusiers who used the firearm,
October 2015
33
would often carry a little flask containing
this liqueur for restorative, comforting and
soothing purposes.
The first Italian Marist Brother was Alfano from the Aosta Valley, born Giuseppe
Carlo Vaser, whose task was to spread
the message among the Italian novices.
In 1903, the Marist Brothers were exiled from France due
to anti-clerical laws
The alkaloids
and settled in Italy,
in Piedmont and Liof selected
guria. In 1913 they
herbs give
created the distillery
Alpestre
of St Joseph in their
monastery at Carmastimulant
gnola and started
and digestive
producing the spirit
once again. The liproperties
quor of the Carmagnola brothers was
immediately hugely successful in Italy
and the first to market it in a big way was
Giovanni Fresia.
The Marist Brothers’ product was inevitably imitated, until in 1927, serious
issues of a commercial and legal nature
arose relating to the imitation of the spirit, similar products and the use of the
term Eau de Arquebuse. Legal arbitrations
were initiated in 1930 but, as a result
34
October 2015
of international law, the name Arquebuse
was made public property, meaning that
anyone could use it. In addition, fascist
regime laws were to prevent the use of foreign words. To safeguard its uniqueness,
the Marist Brothers decided to change
the name, and from that moment their
Arquebuse became known as Alpestre,
with reference to the areas from which
came the 34 herbs that were collected
and used in its recipe.
The stimulant and digestive properties
of Alpestre are due to the alkaloids present in the herbs, which are grown and selected specifically for the spirit. The recipe
includes mugwort, verbena, peppermint,
thyme, angelica, lavender, fennel, santolina, lemon balm, lemon verbena, tansy
(in Piedmont tansy is called archibus or
archibus herb), sage, valerian, St. John's
Wort, chamomile, lemon, arnica, gentian,
basil and hyssop.
When producing the spirit, a portion of
the herbs used are dried, while others are
fresh. The process consists of macerating
the herbs in alcohol and then distilling
the liquid obtained. The product improves
significantly with prolonged aging in Slavonian oak casks for at least 10 years,
which give it a straw colour. No sugar or
other additives are added and the alcohol
content is 44%. Currently a 30-year reserve is available on the market, a liquid
gem with an alcohol content of 49.5%.
If Alpestre is historically consumed as
coffee correction or cold and neat after
a meal, it is interesting to note how it
could become a valid alternative to similar
products such as Chartreuse, especially
in interesting twists to historic recipes like
Alaska, Pago Pago or Last Word, which
in turn become starting points for other
experiments. Used as a flavouring, it becomes extremely characteristic in classic
Italian aperitif recipes and is great if diluted with soda or tonic water.
In Piedmont there are still products
called Arquebuse classified as "traditional
food products of the Piedmont Region",
as per section 8 of Legislative Decree 30
April 1998, no. 173 and the Annexure to
the Resolution of the Regional Council of
15 April 2002 no. 46-5823. Today, the
Alpestre brand is owned and distributed
by Gruppo Onesti SpA.
Fabio Bacchi
THE RECIPE
LAST ARQUEBUSE BY FRANCESCO CIONE
- 3/4 oz. Gin
- 3/4 oz. Alpestre
- 3/4 oz. Maraschino
- 3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
- Drops of lemon balm and thyme syrup
Method: shaker. Glass: cocktail.
October 2015
35
how to mix
TECHNIQUES
FULL GAS AHEAD
It was Jacob Schweppe, who in 1793,
invented the first device
to produce sparkling water
BY GIOVANNI CECCARELLI
36
October 2015
T
he first person to attempt carbonating water was Joseph Priestley,
a British theologian, philosopher
and chemist, who in 1767, using
the methods shown in the image alongside, was able to dissolve part of the
carbon dioxide produced in beer through
fermentation in water. In those days, this
type of gas was called “fixed air”, since
it was denser than air. A few years later
he published his research entitled Impregnating Water with Fixed Air where he
described how to harness and bubble
CO2 produced by the chemical reaction
between CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) and
sulphuric acid, through water.
The first device that was able to produce sparkling water in greater quantities was invented by Jacob Schweppe
in 1783, even if the true revolution, following many other commercial failures,
is attributed to John Mathews, who in
1832 started producing his soda fountains which became famous throughout
the United States.
Carbonating is that process where carbon dioxide is bubbled through water: the
CO2, under certain conditions of pressure
and temperature, dissolves in the liquid,
giving rise to an effervescent beverage.
In order to obtain a good result, it is necessary to operate at low temperatures
because the gas-liquid system is inversely soluble: the lower the temperature, the
higher the amount of gas that can be dissolved. This is the complete opposite of
solid-liquid systems: in order to dissolve
salt or sugar in water, the temperature
must be raised.
Indeed, pressure is another important parameter; as long as the beverage
container is closed and under pressure,
the carbon dioxide remains dissolved,
HISTORY
ABOVE A
VINTAGE PRINT.
ON THE LEFT,
JOSEPH
PRIESTLEY.
and as soon as the container is opened,
carbonation of the carbon dioxide takes
place, forming the famous bubbles. Under certain conditions, the amount of
dissolved CO2 can reach 15g/l, which
will drastically decrease when the container is opened. The carbon dioxide in
the water enters into equilibrium forming
carbonic acid according to the following
reaction: H 2O + CO2
H2CO3, which
October 2015
37
CARBONATION
The chart above
shows three curves
representing the
correlation
between the
amount of CO2
dissolved
(horizontal axis)
and the perceived
intensity of the
effervescence
(vertical axis). The
three curves
represent 3
temperatures (4,
12 and 24˚C).
The trend is fairly
similar: as the
amount of CO2
increases, the
perceived intensity
of the
effervescence
increases.
Nevertheless it is
interesting to note
that, with equal
amounts of CO2,
the lowest
temperature curve
is that which
shows higher
values of
perceived intensity.
38
is responsible for the acidic taste that
sparkling water can have. It is for this
reason that in many carbonated beverages we find traces of bicarbonate of soda
that is added to make them pH neutral.
Furthermore, this gas also works as a
preservative, slowing down the deterioration of the beverage. With regard to the
effervescence experienced in the mouth,
carbonated beverages have been the object of many university studies around
the world and the results are rather interesting.
The aim of these studies was to find
out if there was any correlation between
the serving temperature, the quantity of
CO2 dissolved and the taste experienced
by the consumer. Common sense leads
us to believe that the effervescence perceived is mainly due to the bubbles, and
that it is therefore a tactile sensation
solely due to the amount of dissolved gas
October 2015
that then goes through carbonation. In
fact, the impulse that regulates this sensation is mainly of a nociceptive nature,
that is, related to pain receptors that in
this case are triggered by the trigeminal
nerve. It has in fact been observed, that
with equal amounts of dissolved gas, the
effervescence was felt more intensely
at lower temperatures. Nevertheless,
experience has taught us that a carbonated beverage that has been opened for
some hours, loses its effervescence and
therefore the amount of CO2 present also
plays a large role in this sensation.
In conclusion then, such information
is of great practical relevance to the
bar world. The serving temperature is
very important because it means that
effervescence dissipates more slowly
and therefore allows the sensation to
be perceived more intensely. It is recommended therefore to keep even those
PRIESTLEY SODA WATER
The diagram on the left shows how Priestley’s carbonation device worked. In the
container labelled “e”, calcium carbonate reacts with sulphuric acid. The CO2
produced by the reaction is channelled via the pipe “c” and bubbled into container
“a” that is turned upside down and filled with water. This device was rather
rudimentary and produced light effervescence.
carbonated drinks destined for mixing in
drinks where ice is used well refrigerated.
Pouring is also important: in order to
preserve effervescence, carefully pour
the beverage at a close distance, without moving the can or bottle too far from
the glass. An increase in distance would
cause an even greater loss of pressure
(due to the sudden bump) that would
speed up the carbonation process, and
as a result cause the beverage to go flat.
Allowing the beverage to slide off a bar
spoon, a technique that is very popular
nowadays, no doubt reduces jarring, but
is no better than delicately pouring the
drink. One must also remember that the
bar spoon is always in contact with the
bartender’s hands.
Giovanni Ceccarelli
October 2015
39